There was a hint of desperation in Johnson Sakaja’s voice as he sought to drag President Kenyatta into the troubles over his degree that have bedevilled him to no end this week.

Although he insisted that the President, who was once his benefactor, was behind the endless questions over his degree from a little-known university, it was evident that the problems were self-inflicted.

It is more likely that his former friends in Jubilee are behind the little-known man who petitioned the electoral commission over the Nairobi Senator’s papers from Uganda.

In attempting to drag in President Kenyatta, Mr Sakaja could have succeeded in highlighting the Jubilee Party leader’s marked absence from the campaigns despite his interests as one of Raila Odinga’s key backers.

While he had been expected to campaign for Mr Odinga, especially in his central Kenya backyard, the President has largely stayed silent, leaving it to Martha Karua backed by Peter Kenneth and other politicians from the region.

The choice of Ms Karua has turned out well for Mr Odinga and she has displayed the maturity and experience that comes with the time she has been in politics.

Despite his absence from the campaign frontlines, the situation in Kiambu County, President Kenyatta’s backyard, could work to the advantage of his Jubilee Party’s candidate, Dr James Nyoro.

Elsewhere, the county was the site of exchanges this week between the Kenya Kwanza-backing gubernatorial candidates, UDA’s Kimani Wamatangi and Tujibebe Party’s William Kabogo, with Moses Kuria in the periphery. Mr Kuria and Mr Kabogo would eventually write a protest letter to UDA boss William Ruto on their mistreatment by his party. Mr Wamatangi is leading in opinion polls, closely followed by Dr Nyoro and Mr Kabogo, and it is evident that he would have won comfortably had his Kenya Kwanza colleagues given up their ambitions for him.

But Mr Wamatangi would not be an acceptable choice for either Mr Kuria or Mr Kabogo as he is less experienced.

Eventually, the infighting in Kenya Kwanza could be a boon for Dr Nyoro.

The questions over Mr Sakaja’s degree and his exposure could at the same time benefit Jubilee Party’s Polycarp Igathe, who is also seen as the President’s candidate in Nairobi.